A Muslim fabrication worker who helped in the building of the temple complex. A Sikh student came with his friends. The inauguration of the Mahakaal Lok transcends religious divides as people from all faiths are joined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in celebrating the power of the divine.
Sultan came with his wife and child to see the grand stage for Lord Shiva that he helped in building. “The Mahakaal Lok is a pride for us. It is also special for me as I have worked here,” Sultan told The New Indian.
Sultan debunked the myth of the Hindu-Muslim divide and said that in Ujjain there is no such divide. “There is no problem between Hindus and Muslims. There is no difference. We all stay together, and we are together,” he said.
When asked about the Gyanvapi Masjid row, Sultan said that one should respect the law of the land. “I think whatever the court decides should be acceptable to everyone,” he added.
Sultan, who has been living in Ujjain for the past 25 years, also said that he has no problem with the government supporting religious places.
“I have no issues if the government funds the development of religious places. I feel it will only benefit us,” Sultan said.
Meanwhile, Sahib Singh Wadhwan was there to visit the majestic temple complex with his friends.
“There is Bania, there is Maheshwari, there is Hindu, there is Muslim, there is a Sikh too. People from all castes and religions are here. It took almost 3.5 years to realise a dream. Everyone waited for the inauguration of the Mahakaal Lok corridor,” Wadhwan, a student, said.
Wadhwan’s friend Akshat Gopal Aggarwal, a commerce undergraduate student and a businessman, said PM Modi’s coming to Ujjain is a moment to cherish.
“Modiji has come to our town. It is great to know that our city, Ujjain, is getting noticed across the globe. The ₹850 crore project will not only attract tourists, but it will also help in the development of the city,” Aggarwal said.
The Mahakal Lok corridor is more than 900 metres long and spreads around the Rudrasagar Lake, which has also been revived under the smart city project.
The development of the revered Mahakaleshwar Temple, one of the 12 jyotirlingas in the country that attracts lakhs of devotees a year, is also part of the project.
Prayers were held in all the temples of the villages in Ujjain and the cities of Madhya Pradesh, coinciding with the Mahakal Lok Corridor inauguration programme.